'Flash Forward' - the new 'Lost'?

Every year, hundreds of ideas for new TV series are pitched to the US networks. Of these, only a small proportion are picked up for pilots - and of these, fewer still then go on to become fully-fledged series. (Of course, only the fittest of these survive and become enduring TV hits). Over the next week Tube Talk is getting out its crystal ball, sifting through this year's many pilots and predicting which shows we could all be hooked on in six months' time.

First up on our list is the most promising proposition of all. Hype is building quickly around sci-fi thriller Flash Forward: ABC has already made the unprecedented step of airing short teasers during ad breaks, despite the pilot not yet being picked up to series. There are more than several Lost comparisons, and indeed, the show is being eyed as a long-term replacement for the JJ Abrams megaweight when it concludes next year.

What's it all about?Simplified, Flash Forward focuses on the choas which ensues after everyone on the planet blacks out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. The blackout itself causes mass disaster: airplanes fall from the sky, cars are involved in collisions, etc. In total, 40 million or so people don't survive the mysterious event.

So, people are unconscious for the entire time?Not quite. Here's where it gets interesting: during the blackout, survivors experience a flash forward in time, revealing a snippet of their own future or fate during the time loss. And the moment they witness is not random (as you might have guessed) - it's five months in the future, at 8pm on April 20, 2010.

Why that specific date?Good question! And that very question is one of the pilot's central mysteries - along with what caused the blackout, of course. Was it a natural disaster? A man-made event? Or something much more sinister?

What happens to the survivors?Naturally, they're somewhat disturbed by the experience. The FBI and other agencies begin to investigate the visions, attempting to link stories together by similar visions. The plot will then follow and explore the lives of the survivors.

Who came up with the idea for the show?It's written by David S. Groyer, the man behind Batman Begins and Blade, and Brannon Braga (Enterprise, Threshold). Flash Forward is also loosely based on Robert J. Sawyer's 1999 novel of the same name.

Who's in it?Sonya Walger, who has a key recurring role on Lost as Penny Widmore, will take the female lead. Christine Woods, Jack Davenport and Law & Order: CI's Courtney B. Vance have also been given roles.

Why should I watch it?Billed as the new Lost (have we made that point already?), Flash Forward should fill any sci-fi drama shaped holes you may have in your life. Who wouldn't be at least a little intrigued by a show tackling fate vs. free will and destiny vs. chaos?

Hit 'play' below to whet your appetite with a mini video teaser.

Check back in tomorrow for the next of our Pilot Previews!

What do you reckon? Are you up for Flash Forward? Click the link below to add your comments to this entry!